Magazine explains methodology used to generate scores
In its 2024 report on the Best Places to Retire, U.S. News has put Sarasota in fourth place, the publication announced this week.
However, the city came in 11th on the magazine’s new list of Best Places to Live. Naples took the top spot in those rankings.
“To identify the best places to retire, U.S. News analyzed data for the 150 top cities in the U.S. to assess how well they meet Americans’ retirement needs and expectations,” the publication explained. “Top criteria include the happiness of local residents, housing affordability, tax rates and health care quality,” U.S. Newsadded.
Sarasota received an overall score of 6.9 out of 10, with “Health Care” earning a 3.7, while “Housing Affordability” was rated 6.
Naples was No. 1 on that list, too, followed by Virginia Beach, VA, at No. 2 and New York City at No. 3. Jacksonville came in at No. 7.
Two North Carolina cities made the Top 10: Raleigh and Charlotte.
Of Sarasota, reporter Elizabeth Djinis wrote that the city “has a distinct vibe that’s different from Florida’s relative coastal cities, with its own vibrant arts scene, beachy atmosphere and burgeoning food culture. People who choose Sarasota as their home are generally called by its unique charm. This city of more than 55,000 people has a renowned opera house, a number of rooftop bars and the popular beach of Siesta Key nearby. What makes the region special is its duality — downtown Sarasota boasts resorts and fine dining, but strolling Siesta Key Village or St. Armands Circle offers a more intimate, seaside ambience.
“There was once a time when Sarasota was dismissed as a playground for retirees,” Djinis added, “but that reputation is slowly changing as more young professionals make it their own. One of the city’s up-and-coming neighborhoods is the Rosemary District, where eclectic murals decorate storefronts and modern condominiums and hotels sit near casual breakfast cafes.”
“Quick Stats” accompanying the narrative put the city’s population at 82,472; the median home price at $430,652; the median rent at $1,652; the median household income at $80,922; the median age of residents at 52; and the unemployment rate at 3.66%.
The narrative does notes, “Sarasota’s popularity with both the over-65 and under-65 sets means rising home prices, and many people who want to live here are priced out.”
Among city scenes in photos provided with the article are Lido Key Beach, St. Armands Circle, The Ringling Museum, Payne Park and a variety of neighborhoods marked by signage.
In an explanation of it methodology, U.S. News wrote, “Cities in the rankings are evaluated using data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. News‘ own internal resources. This data was categorized into the four indexes … and evaluated using a methodology determined by Americans’ preferences. The percent weighting for each index follows the answers from a February 2024 public survey in which people from across the country voted for what they believed was the most important factor to consider when choosing where to live.”
The Quality of Life Index accounted for 32% of the total score, the publication said, while the Value Index, which “measures how comfortably the average resident of each city can afford to live within their means,” represented 27% of the score; the Desirability Index, 19%; and the Job Market Index, 22%.
“The Desirability Index measures whether people want to live in a given city,” U.S. News pointed out. “To determine this, we asked people from all over the U.S. where they’d prefer to live,” the publication added.
For the Job Market Index, it noted, it assessed the preceding 12 months of unemployment rates, “using data from the Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.” The unemployment rate factor represented 50% of that measurement, while the median household income accounted for the other 50%, U.S. News said.